Modern History
5 Seasons
Jason Kingsley OBE has been fascinated by history his whole life, in particular the medieval period and the life of knights. But how much of what we see and hear on TV and in film is accurate? In this series Jason sets out to reveal the reality behind the myths. From weapons and warfare, to religion, politics and chivalry we will learn what it really means to be a knight.
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09:52Episode 1A Knight's Arsenal
Episode 1
This is our introduction to the arsenal of the knight in melee combat.
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08:00Episode 2The Legacy of the Sword
Episode 2
The sword is the weapon most associated with the knight in armour. Why is that? It didn?t have the brutal impact of the horseman?s pick, nor the raw concussive power of the pollaxe. However, it did have a beauty and a symbolic appeal that ensured its enduring legacy in history and in our imaginat...
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19:16Episode 3Creating the Sword
Episode 3
Josef Dawes of White Well Arms joins Jason to talk about the creation of the knight?s sword. Starting from a few billets of steel, Josef shows Jason some of the techniques to shape the metal and manipulate it to where it needs to be in order to create a well-balanced knightly weapon.
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To Battle
Episode 4
What better way to investigate the differences between screen combat and real medieval combat than to create a Hollywood-style fight sequence with experts in both? Jason is joined by stunt coordinator Russell MacLeod and stunt performer James Apps, to be put through the paces of choreographing a ...
